$2000 Roundtrip – Delta Airlines and the Ghanaian Traveler II

Thankfully, a bottle of water awaited each of us on the plane and throughout the flight, snacks were made available at the back of the plane—a unique experience if I may say so. Anyone who knows me of course knows I am probably pickier about my food than anything else and will thus not be surprised at my dismay at what presently happened. It was partly my fault because I requested the beef option, not being one who eats poultry but since I was met with some concoction of beef sauce, assorted veggies and white rice not becoming at all of someone who likes jollof, I promptly reconsidered my options and would have gone for the chicken option with jollof but Delta had run out of that option with many passengers still to be served. Next, I asked for apple juice and the flight had run out of that as well. Finally, on entering the US airspace in evening both destination and origin time, Delta served breakfast, with one unifying option of cheese and ham sandwich, a yogurt covered granola bar and a box of orange juice. I said a silent prayer for those hungry passengers on monoamine oxidase inhibitors (fermented cheese and some other foods can lead to a sympathetic crisis when ingested by someone using MAO-Is). I neither like cheese nor un-fried bacon so I was a little stuck there.

Of course I naturally expect airline food to be horrible and have been known to fly days on only water and apple juice because of this. However, more than the food, the manner in which stewardesses responded to my queries of “can I have this or that option” is the point of contention here and the reason for this entry. My questions were met with sharp and stiff “we don’t have anymore” and “that’s the only option” delivered in a devil-may-care tone. These were the things that grated on my senses. I can only imagine the stresses of being an Air Steward but that is no justification for displacement—taking it out on another. Having been on a Lufthansa flight with disastrous customer service between Accra and Frankfurt and impeccable service between Frankfurt and New York and having transited in other European cities, I am aware of the deplorable service provided by major carriers to and from Ghana and Delta has come in for a lot of flak on this point even necessitating a rebuke from the Transport Minister in Ghana. It seems that this has fallen on deaf ears. These airlines are indeed providing invaluable services to Ghanaians but they are in the SERVICE business and at over inflated prices given travel and demand over comparable distances, it is important that they recognize they are offering very little value for their money. In April of this year, I flew to and from Ghana on a British Airways flight which cost less than $1400 and was infinitely more comfortable with service rendered with deference not seen on Delta flights. I am a fickle flyer with little to no airline loyalty. While expanding the current number of days with direct flights to Accra from JFK, New York and adding an Atlanta line, Delta might do well to realize that in spite of our politicians running national airlines into the ground, there are other options and we will pursue them.

Write in and comment. Let me know what you experiences have been on other Delta flights to Ghana and the Western world. Are there any notable differences in service delivery? Happy New Year and may every one who wants water on a flight they have paid for, receive it with smiles.

PS: I have made it to Boston safely after missing my scheduled flight. And my bag is here with me as well though torn on one side. Transition from 27+C (81+F) to 1C (34F) is not helping my mood much. See you in another piece.

Prime

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This is the way I choose, the destiny I pursue
To help the unfit and the fit
To treat each according to his need
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$2000 Roundtrip – Delta Airlines and the Ghanaian Traveler I

Plane ticket – 2000 dollars. Can of apple juice 55 cents. A little bit of customer service – Priceless. That is how a mastercard—themed commercial of the Delta Airlines direct flight between New York, JFK and Accra, Ghana would go. The last line, of course, would be sarcastic. During my entire sixteen days in Ghana over the past holidays, I have debated whether to write this piece. I am writing it now in the last hour of flight DL 167 from Accra to JFK expected to land within the next hour. Why? Ham sandwich.

But before we get there, let me tell you why after having experienced rather dismal customer service and the customary loss of baggage (they were eventually recovered) on my first transatlantic flight with Delta, I did it again. See I happen to be a student who had 14 days of break to spend over the Christmas holidays. My sister was getting married on the Saturday of the last weekend and I was expected back at work on Monday. As the plan stood originally, no matter how you slice and dice it, I could not be back in the US in convenient time on Sunday unless I was on a direct flight. Delta Airlines happens to offer that flight. My options thus limited, I cast my die with the transatlantic flight which in all the traveling I have done, still happens to be the only one on which the tv screens descend from the ceiling and the captain controls the 3 or 4 movies one watches (contrast with say British Airways where you have individual panels on seat backs).

It’s not all doom and gloom, however and there is still some light, however dim, at the end of the proverbial tunnel down which Delta seems to be flying. I had some stimulating conversations with a steward on my first flight with them and on this inbound flight, there was a particular gentleman, I made sure to get his name but have sadly forgotten it who was quite amiable, always ready with a smile and interested in the book I was reading – Invisible Man (A thumping good read and a work of genius). Alas that was blighted by the actions of his colleagues. Let me give you an example. Hardly had our flight left the ground after a long period of taxiing at the JFK than a lady sat in the row behind me pressed her call button. In comes the Delta stewardess in good time breathing fire:

Stewardess: What is your emergency?
Lady: I feel dehydrated. I need some water.
Stewardess: Is that an emergency?

Now forgive me for asking but were the call buttons actually put in by Delta only for emergencies? And even if they were, what constitutes an emergency? I am no authority on the issue but I do believe a lady who feels dehydrated, having been signaled ultimately by his body’s volume/sodium control would, depending on the situation, be rather treatable if caught early and if nothing at all, deserves some sympathy if not outright decorum from a stewardess in the service business. I have since spoken to my girlfriend, sister and other friends who came in on various other Delta operated flights and the immediate consensus is and I quote “OMG! The Delta Crew is so rude!”

Prime

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This is the way I choose, the destiny I pursue
To help the unfit and the fit
To treat each according to his need
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